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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29330595">Retribution Resort</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperPsychoNutcase/pseuds/SuperPsychoNutcase'>SuperPsychoNutcase</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alya Césaire Bashing, Bad Teacher Caline Bustier, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Damian Wayne is Robin, Damian Wayne is a Little Shit, F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Identity Reveal, Gabriel going to jail, Get Dunked On Lila, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Manipulative Lila Rossi, Marinette is a Fashion Designer, Murder at a Fancy Resort, Nathalie Sancoeur needs a Vacation, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Solving Crime with the Batfam, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, We all need a vacation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:15:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29330595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperPsychoNutcase/pseuds/SuperPsychoNutcase</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thanks to the hard work and personal connections of class president, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Madam Bustier’s class will get to spend their graduation party at a new upscale resort in New Jersey, USA. Thanks to double booking, the french class will be sharing the lodge with another graduating class from some in-state school. They are all determined to have a good time regardless of the subdued nature of Gotham Academy’s graduating class. Too bad the universe had something different in mind. They had to get the Ladybug to fall in love with her true soulmate somehow.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>685</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another idea I'm spitballing here. :3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The luck of Ladybug was absolute bullshit. </p><p>How do I know?</p><p>Well, it all started with a commission from a very wealthy widow.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>_______</p>
</div><p>
  <i>"Who here is allergic to pine or redwood trees?"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Lila raised her hand, almost timidly. "I am. They give me a horrible rash and it makes it super hard to breathe."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"I thought so." I barely restrained the urge to smirk as she had just fallen into my trap. I stood proud and tall in front of my class in a way I haven't been able to do since Lila had become the class queen. "If you all have been keeping up with my social media, you will know that I only recently returned from a work trip. I did a series of commissions for a wealthy widow overseas."</i>
</p><p><i>"It's not very nice to brag, Marinette." Lila shook her head in disappointment. Alya nodded in agreement.</i> </p><p>
  <i>Hypocrite. "I have every right to feel proud of my accomplishments, Lila, as they have scored us a chance to be the first people to stay at a new luxury resort and spa in New Jersey, USA!"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The class erupted into applause. Kim shot to his feet and squeezed an elated Max in a bear hug he was so excited. Alix was running around the room cheering as if she had been offered a spot on an Olympic team. Mylene was straight up crying with Rose while getting a hug from her boyfriend, Ivan. Juleka shared a beaming smile with Nathaniel as they celebrated quietly. Adrien and Chloe were more reserved, but they were clapping and smiling. Alya and Lila were talking animatedly to each other while Sabrina was weeping in elation.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I waited until they had settled down before explaining. "Furthermore, there will be a photographer taking photos of those who agree to act as models so she can post the pictures on her website and brochures. I will hand out the permission sheets and I'll need them back in two weeks. No parent signed permission slip, no photos. In addition, there will be an opening gala hosted at the resort where a lot of big names from various fields will be in attendance which makes it a great chance to network."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>More chattering ensued as my peers talked about potentially modeling. Juleka looked ecstatic for such an opportunity. Lila was bragging. "I just know that my experience as a Gabriel model will make me the face of the resort. I won't even have to leave the hotel to get a spa!"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I bit back a satisfied grin and focused on Lila. "You can't go."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>The noise trickled down to nothing, leaving the room eerily silent. Lila gaped like a fish out of water as she gathered her senses. Her face and voice were that of an emotionally distraught girl, but her eyes burned with fury. "What do you mean? Of course I can go. You can't be petty enough to exclude me from our graduation party!"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Alya, ever the faithful attack dog, launched to her feet and into attack mode. "This is a new low, Marinette! Even for you!"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I was calm and collected as I faced her rage. It stopped bothering me when I finally realized that she was no friend of mine. "The resort is surrounded by pines and redwoods. Lila just confirmed that she was allergic to both kinds of trees, dangerously so if her allergy impacts her breathing. I'm not being petty. I was given an opportunity to stay at a resort before it officially opened and my client was kind enough to share it with my graduating class."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Alya snorted in derision and collapsed back into her seat, her arms crossed stubbornly. "Well if Lila's not going then none of us will."</i>
</p><p>The others in class shot Alya shocked glares. Kim held up his hands as if approaching a wild animal. "Now hold on a minute. Let's not go making snap decisions that everyone will regret."</p><p>
  <i>"Kim is right." I radiated cool headed reasoning that I had developed over the years as class president. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We are graduating. This might be the last time most of us are together before we go our separate ways. The original plan was to go to Disneyland here in France, but who else can say they were the guests at a luxury resort before it even opened?"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Juleka rose from her seat. "Sorry Lila, but I'm with Marinette on this. We might never get a chance like this again and I think it would be fun. Plus it would be good for my modeling career."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Rose was wearing a rare frown. "As much as I like spending time with you, Lila, I would like to go on this trip."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Max seconded that opinion. "The chances of something like this happening to me again are slim to none. I, for one, am grateful to Marinette and her connections that landed us such a trip."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Alya gawked at her classmates. "Come on you guys! This is obviously a ploy by Marinette to ostracize Lila! Just look at her! She's about to cry!"</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Lila sniffed pathetically, "It's alright, Alya. I'll just have Ladybug use her Miraculous Cure to heal me enough to go with you all."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I internally rolled my eyes. "Ladybug's Cure doesn't work that way. Besides, you once claimed that she had healed your tinnitus only for it to come back. How can you be sure that it won't come back and put you in danger? We'll be at the resort for four weeks, a whole month. You can't promise that her Cure will hold for that long, if it heals your allergies at all."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Adrien, as much as he detested rocking the boat, had to agree. "Not once has the Miraculous Cure healed my feather allergy. You shouldn't go if you'll just get sick."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Lila tried to salvage the situation. "I mean, how close are the trees? So long as I don't touch them I should be okay."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I cocked my head to the side, as if confused. "Really? Because I recall you telling Mylene that you couldn't be anywhere near pines or redwoods when she suggested you could help her plant new trees along the Seine with her charity group. I'm sorry, but I can't in good conscience allow you to go to the resort."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Alya harrumphed irritably as she glared daggers at me. "I'm sure Bustier and Damocles would love to hear about how you're discriminating against another student for her medical conditions and excluding her from our graduation trip."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>"I know what I'm doing, Alya." I rolled my eyes, physically this time. "I've already gotten the very enthusiastic permission from the teacher, the principal, and the Board. This resort will be the official location of our class graduation trip. None of you are obligated to come, you will not be forced to go. It is entirely your decision. Just know that I am going and I am going to have a blast."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Bustier walked through the doors and the water works commenced.</i>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>_______</p>
</div><p>While I avoided giving ultimatums, Lila had no problem spinning my announcement to look like one. Those who weren't inspired to hate me sat on the sidelines and did nothing. Adrien pulled me aside after class and implored me to change the trip so Lila could join the class. Even Bustier cast aside her own desires to chaperone at such a location in favor of catering to Lila's wants. I told both that the paperwork was submitted and approved already and it was too late to back out. </p><p>Bustier actually tried to go behind my back and get the location pulled, but I was the class president and, therefore, was kept well informed of any changes to the schedule. I corrected the plans again and sternly told off Bustier in the kindest way possible to not interfere with class politics. It was hard not to bring up the fact that the only time she ever got involved was to cater to Lila or to punish the victims of bullying, otherwise she left the students to handle themselves.</p><p>And that's how I wound up here, in the nicest resort I've ever seen, getting ignored by my classmates. Lila and Alya had gotten to them and, though they still got on the plane, the two must have made them feel guilty for taking the trip because they wouldn't even look at me. They brightened considerably as we were led inside, but I was still left alone by the rest of the group. </p><p>We were shown to our rooms by the bellhops, and I was further ostracized for getting my own suite as a thank you for the work I did. My suite was distant from the others and one of the elites. The living room had a sewing machine and a few rolls of nice fabric that I would get to take home. The bedroom was beautifully furnished in red and black and a cherry wood bedroom set. The sheets were definitely Egyptian cotton and the mattress was the softest thing I had ever laid on. If I was to be ignored throughout this vacation at least I could hide away in a nice room.</p><p>As I was getting a feel for the room, I caught sight of a large van pulling up the driveway. It was a shiny black, most certainly new, and completely out of place. The resort wasn't meant to open until next month. I brushed it off as being food delivery or something like that and continued unpacking, humming happily as I reveled in the knowledge that I was Lila and Alya free in a fancy resort. In addition, I had an appointment at the spa later tonight.</p><p>Everything was great, kinda, until I stepped out of my room to explore the grounds and collided into a wall. A human wall with the greenest eyes I had ever seen. </p><p>The young man had an Arabian look to him with his perfectly tinted skin and thick black hair that was combed back. His eyes, though beautiful, were hard and cold like the emeralds they resembled. His lips were twisted in a scowl as he glared down at me. </p><p>He was not a member of my class. There is no way I, nor Lila, would have missed a face like this. "Uh… Bonjour?"</p><p>One of his perfect eyebrows arched. His gaze was unwavering. "Bonjour."</p><p>His eyes flicked downward. I followed them down and finally remembered what I was wearing. It was far more daring than what I usually wore, off shoulder long sleeves and a tight sweetheart bodice with a conforming skirt that fell to my knees. The dress itself wasn't too bad, but the big zipper in the dead center that ran all the way down the front. I had only planned to greet my client and thank her again for the invitation. I was finishing this latest project when I noticed her fancy convertible pulling up the driveway. I didn't even think to change. </p><p>My face burned with embarrassment. It was meant to be my outfit for the Opening Gala for the resort. While my class was invited, I was to be an honored guest. All thanks to my ever expanding business under MDC and because Regina promised to introduce me to several of her associates. Now that I was standing in front of a stranger in such daring attire, I was second guessing my outfit for the occasion. "Um…. Pardon moi, monsieur."</p><p>I rushed past him and she speed walked to the front office. Regina Duke was strutting out of her office with a folder full of paperwork when I found her. She noticed her immediately and opened her arms wide, beaming as if she had won the lottery. Her French was perfect. "Marinette, I was just about to go looking for you! How do you like your room?"</p><p>I huffed as she pulled me into a tight hug. "Beautiful, Madam Duke."</p><p>"Regina, dear. We're practically family now." She pulled away and gestured for me to follow her. "The photographers will be here in an hour to start taking pictures. Dinner will be at 8 o'clock, do be sure to alert your classmates. Tell them to be on their best behaviour while they're here. Cameras are watching after all."</p><p>I thumbed the bottom hem of my dress. "Uh, madam D… Regina. I saw a boy about my age, I think, and I did not recognize him."</p><p>She brightened, "Ah yes! I forgot to mention that there is another graduating class here. A favor for an old friend of mine. They are from Gotham so they might be a bit jumpy, but they'll warm up to you all in a safe environment like this. You might even find a summer romance to pass the time. Hm?"</p><p>I blushed at her cheeky grin and stared at the ground. "I doubt that. I'm not exactly interesting or eye catching."</p><p>Regina barked out a laugh. "What complete and utter idiot fed you that line of bullshit? You are a talented young lady of great renown and quite a knockout to boot. Any man would be incredibly lucky to land a girl like you. Or woman. I certainly don't discriminate, but don't tell that to the tabloids."</p><p>I shook my head. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly beating boys off with a stick."</p><p>"That's because you're surrounded by mindless, uncultured heathens that wouldn't know quality if it kicked down the door, announced itself, and punched them right in their mediocre faces." Regina glanced at me with a kind smile. "To be frank, you are a very beautiful girl with an even more beautiful personality. You shine so brightly that others can't help but notice you. The problem that comes with having such a bright soul is that it can be intimidating to those without the confidence to approach you. Unfortunately, that means that only the confident and arrogant will have the courage to talk to you. In addition, there are several people out there who will be jealous of your talent that they will desire to crush your inner light or siphon off as much as they can before abandoning you when you have nothing more to give. I have a feeling you've encountered plenty of those before."</p><p>The endless stream of favors I had fine for my class immediately came to mind. I was always the person they came to when they needed something. Clothes, accessories, sports banners, sports gear, food, costumes, decorations, babysitting… all for free. Uncomfortable with my train of thought, I shook it off and turned back to Regina. "Thanks again for inviting me and my class here. I know they were super excited to hear about the party." They had requested evening wear for the Gala before rushing out of school. I tried not to think about that. </p><p>"Seems like the photographers are here!" Regina beamed down at her phone as it chimed. "Why don't you go pretty that face of yours for dinner? I want you all over the photo spread!"</p><p>I brushed off imaginary lint, frowning at the dress I made. "Sure, I'll be there. I'll just swing by room and grab another dress for…"</p><p>"Don't you dare! I love that dress on you. See you at dinner." Regina patted my head and sauntered off to greet the photographers. </p><p>It was nearly 6 now, almost time for my appointment. I was still uncertain that this dress would be appropriate for dinner, but Regina had said it was okay. It would be embarrassing to wear it in front of my classmates, and another class, yet I couldn't go against my client's request. </p><p>Feeling uneasy for the night ahead, I tried to relax as I was waxed, tweezed and rubbed to the scent of lavender.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>First dinner at the resort.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The dining room was spacious and elegant. Soft golden yellow and warm cream made the room feel larger. Instead of chandeliers, a mosaic of hundreds of hanging glass orbs that glowed from within created giant lotus flowers several meters above the floor. My class sat at a large table talking excitedly among themselves. The chaperons for my class consisting of my mother, Anarka, Alim Kubdel, and even Roger Raincomprix, sat close by chatting amongst themselves. Instead of sitting amongst my peers or the parents, I made my way to a spare table at the edge of the room near the windows with my laptop secured in a bag at my side. Dinner will not be half as awkward as it could be while I used the time to work on my website. My old one, Marinette Designs, had to be shut down after it was flooded with a series of bad reviews from someone who’s name I was 100% certain started with Lie and ended with -la. I saw a few of the sweeter of my classmates peek over at me, but not one of them made a move in my direction.</p><p>The sound of the door opening brought my attention to the far side of the room. A group of kids my age were looking around and exclaiming over the hanging lights. The green eyed boy from earlier was noticeably excluded from the group. At least he had a somewhat taller, broader boy at his side who seemed to be his complete opposite. Where the green eyed boy was dour and reserved, the other was all smiles and sunshine as he examined the room with awe and wonder. Their five chaperons, mostly females, followed after and sat close by them.</p><p>Madam Duke clapped her hands and drew everyone’s eye to the front of the room. "Welcome! Welcome to Luna Lakeside. I'm so glad you all can be here. Parents and guardians who agreed to be chaperons, I welcome you. No, you do not have to hover over your children everyday. Please feel free to enjoy yourselves as well. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, my wardrobe is just astounding and special thanks to you.” I blushed at the attention she cast on me and waved bashfully behind my laptop.</p><p>She continued. “I have a few announcements before I release you all to enjoy the buffet. First off, most of you have rooms on the first or second floor, two of you on the third. The fourth floor is off limits as it's still being decorated. There are quite a few dangerous materials up there that I don't want you all near. Secondly, the photographers know who has signed permission to be photographed and who doesn't. Don't try to sneak into one as it won't be used. Also, don't mind them when they're working. They want candid shots of you enjoying yourselves. Third and finally, there will be a gala at the end of the month where I have invited the best of the best to come see my brainchild. You may be interviewed about your time here by some of the biggest names in journalism, including Lois Kent-Lane. I hope you all will have all good things to say. If not, please tell me before you rip my dream apart and send it crashing to the ground." Her last statement evoked a scatter of laughter from the teens. "Should anything not be up to your standards, let the staff know.”</p><p>The kitchen doors flew open and the staff rolled out several carts of food along the edge of the room. Students and chaperons alike rose as one to grab what they could. I remained in my seat, too shy and too nervous to venture close to my class or the other visiting students from a local school. I settled into my seat and focused on my website instead. Lucki Charm was already trending thanks to clients like Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale. Madam Duke was just another high class client to add to my roster of successes. In addition, it was a private site that would need a passcode to access. Only paying customers would be able to leave reviews that would be viewed publicly. Referrals may not be the best way to expand my business, but it came with many perks. Not only did it keep my number of commissions down to a manageable level, but it allowed me to pick and choose my clients. I trusted Jagged and Clara's judgement, however, my first website crashed and burned thanks to Lila and I had to be cautious.</p><p>A plate full of food slid into my view as my mother stood across from me. "Baobao, what are you doing here all alone?"</p><p>I shrugged nonchalantly and returned to my laptop. "Reasons. I have a lot of work to do and my classmates would just distract me."</p><p>My mother hummed and arched her eyebrow knowingly. "So this has nothing to do with how you supposedly excluded Lila from this trip?" I froze and gawked up at my mother. She merely smirked. "I overheard them on the plane ride over. I wanted to get your side of the story first before jumping to any conclusions. I haven't forgotten the misunderstanding between you and that girl."</p><p>I heaved a heavy sigh. "Madam Duke offered this resort to us for a graduation trip after I finished her new wardrobe. I recalled how Lila said she was allergic to redwoods and pine trees, so of course she couldn't come for safety reasons. Alya decided to stay behind with her."</p><p>Sabine nodded in understanding. "Makes perfect sense to me. I don't see why they're holding it against you, though. It's not your fault she has allergies. They shouldn't have come if they were going to complain."</p><p>I chuckled humorlessly. "They're not wrong. I know for a fact Lila has a clean bill of health. She lied about having allergies just to get attention and weasel out of volunteer work. I simply used it against her."</p><p>Sabine pulled back in shock of my behaviour. "Marinette! That's not very nice."</p><p>"Framing me for plagiarism, theft, and assault isn't very nice." And continuing to spread rumors about me, but whatever. "I didn't want her here, enjoying the fruits of my labor and hard work, to harass and bully me and inciting our classmates to join in the fun. I don't feel great about using her own lies against her," that was a lie. "but I will revel in the peace and tranquility of my vacation away from that fork tongued liar who has made it her life goal to make me miserable."</p><p>My mother's eyes flickered through too many emotions for me to read before settling in understanding and amusement. "I suppose she wouldn't have been excluded if she hadn't lied. Enjoy your dinner and don't overwork yourself. You're on vacation."</p><p>I smiled and returned to my laptop. It was nice to have her support after she had so readily believed the worst in me the day I was expelled. Since Lila revoked her statement, my parents had paid more attention to me and my school life. They asked questions, reviewed the evidence I presented, and placed their trust in me again. Nothing hurt more than having my own parents believe the words of a liar over their own daughter. Thankfully, our bond as a family grew stronger because of it and showed faith in me to do right. It sucked that I had to lie to them about my heroics, but it's not like they could know. Even after Hawkmoth is defeated, I have to keep my secret as the Guardian and protector of the Miracle Box. </p><p>A body collapsed into the seat across from me and blocked my view of the window. Looking up, I was shocked to see a boy from the other class. It was the perky one that looked even brighter next to the green eyed grouch. He was smiling even now, his blue eyes glowing in the light of the setting sun and the hanging lights. He was buff in a way that spoke of hard labor rather than weight lifting and his sun kissed complexion was perfect. He had a squared jaw and strong chin and full lips. Dark, black hair hung in soft, shaggy waves over his forehead that was cut shorter in the back and sides. He was gorgeous. </p><p>"Hi there!" His voice was deep and warm and very pleasant. I was at a loss as to why he was here and not with his class. </p><p>Having studied English since childhood, it was exciting to test my knowledge with a local teen and anxiety inducing. Lila had taught her that a pretty package could hold the nastiest content. All newcomers, especially the overly amicable ones, were treated with caution. "Hello."</p><p>He beamed so brightly that it almost hurt to look. "I'm Jon Kent. What's your name?"</p><p>"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." He was almost like a puppy turned human. I was half expecting to see a tail wagging behind him. </p><p>I did not see a tail and he continued to smile. "Mrs. Duke said your name and mentioned something about a wardrobe. What was that about? Are you her personal shopper? You seem kinda young."</p><p>I googled nervously and hid behind the screen. "No. Uh… Actually I… made her wardrobe. I'm a fashion designer."</p><p>His eyes widened comically as he gaped in surprise. "Seriously? Wow, you must be really good to be professionally designing so young. How..."</p><p>A scream pierced the air and cut off Jon from pursuing his question.  Unfortunately, a braided blonde girl with sharp features raced towards my table with a fierce look of determination on her face. She collided into the table and only Jon's reflexes prevented our plates from falling to the floor. A phone in a shiny purple case was shoved too close to my eyes to make out what was on the screen. "You're the girl that works for Jagged Stone!"</p><p>It wasn't a question, but I confirmed it all the same. "Yes, that's me."</p><p>She screamed again, an easy piercing pitch that only fangirls could achieve. Her pale blue eyes were hardly noticeable behind her enlarged pupils. "Oh. My. Gawd! I am such a huge fan of your work! I follow all your social media accounts! I legit died when you had to take down MDC because of those nasty comments. I wanna let you know that I verbally eviscerated the bitches that posted those lies and called them out for being cowards by posting anonymously. I even petitioned to ask you to bring it back only to find out you had another website, but like nobody could access it without a code. I was going to commission a prom dress from you, but I totally understand you wanting to keep the asshole trolls from dragging you down again."</p><p>"Um… thank you." Having such an ardent fan was baffling. I associated that more with music and film icons.</p><p>More and more of the other class came to investigate until I was surrounded by strangers and being barraged by questions. They all seemed genuinely friendly and interested in what I had to say. The green eyed boy from earlier finally came over and took over the spot beside Jon who beamed brightly.  His toxic green gaze was more amused than curious. "So you must be the owner and artist behind Lucki Charm."</p><p>I nodded hesitantly, unsure of his approach. He was acting too much like Chloe, all spoiled and full of himself,  to trust that he will act with civility. "I am. What of it?</p><p>He held up his phone which happened to be the newest on the market in a sleek black case. "My adopted brothers happen to be big fans of yours and I just wanted to confirm who you were so I could brag about meeting you first."</p><p>Oh. Sibling rivalry. Being an only child, I wished for a brother or sister until the Hawkmoth situation fully sank in and I realized being the sole child to my parents was a blessing. No sibling meant no one was around to accidentally see me transform and no one else to worry over. "Well, tell them I said hello and thank you for liking my designs I guess."</p><p>One of his pointed eyebrows flicked up his forehead. "Actually I was hoping to commission something from you and wear it around my house until my brothers noticed."</p><p>So he liked my work too? "What makes you think you could afford me? I design for Jagged Stone after all." A total bluff as I was actually very affordable. I was always happy to work out payment and options for my clients. </p><p>The boy chuckled, his voice dark and velvety. His was the voice of the snake luring Eve to the forbidden tree. He stuck out a hand. "Damian Wayne. Nothing is too expensive for me and my family."</p><p>I wasn't surprised. He radiated birthed entitlement. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Is that name supposed to mean something to me?"</p><p>Many of the teens are looking between us with interest. Damian's eyes sparked in confusion and settled back into a smug neutrality. "I'm the only biological son of Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises."</p><p>Ah, explains the rich boy attitude. Everyone knew Bruce Wayne. Even me and I only focused on the figures in fashion. "You know, usually I only take commissions through recommendations."</p><p>Damian smirked and sipped on his water. "So we've heard. My father actually tried reaching out to Jagged Stone to get an in, but Stone refused. I believe his excuse was that he knew of my father's propensity to adopt dark haired blue eyed children and he had already called dibs on you."</p><p>I snorted, "Sounds like Uncle Jagged. He actually got into an argument with Clara Nightingale once over who discovered me. Seeing that he was my first official commission, he won."</p><p>"About that," Damian leaned over the table. "How does a teenager with no influential family score a debut commission with a world class Rockstar?"</p><p>I loved telling this story. "Well, a girl in my class is the daughter of the mayor who happens to own Le Paris Grande."</p><p>"That big hotel boasting five stars?" Damian interrupted to confirm the setting. </p><p>"The very same. When she was class president, every class trip, as few as there were, was to the hotel. It was career day and our class was to shadow an employee or was given a job around the hotel to better learn and understand the mechanisms of maintaining the business. Chloe, who had bullied me for years, thought it would be fun to isolate me from the class and made me Jagged Stone's gopher. Now Jagged is known to be very… exact in how he wants things done. He is a bit of a nightmare for hotel staff. Anywho, he requested a pair of Eiffel tower glasses for his show that night and I had to go find a pair. Unfortunately, the only thing I found did not suit his tastes. Eventually I decided to just make a pair and he really liked them. He called on me a week later to design the cover of his album Rock Giant and the rest is history."</p><p>Jon burst into laughter. "That's just perfect! Chloe did that to bully you, and instead you scored a celebrity as your first client!"</p><p>The girl pointed behind me at the table of which I knew my class was seated. "Speaking of your class, why aren't you over there with them?"</p><p>My shoulders tightened at the mention of my old friends. "I uh…. I was just going over some things and I didn't want to bother them."</p><p>Her pretty face scrunched up in suspicion. "You didn't want to bother them sitting quietly with your laptop?"</p><p>A redheaded girl with pale grey-blue eyes with a round face peered over at the table. "Yeah. I mean you're the one who scored them the stay here, right? They should be fawning over you, or at least thanking you on the knees. They haven't even come over to say hi."</p><p>They were far more observant than they had right to be, but I supposed that a blind person would be able to sense the tension dividing me from my Parisian peers. "It's a little complicated. They're upset with me because one of our classmates couldn't come. She's allergic to pines and redwoods."</p><p>Jon cocked his head. "And that's your fault how?"</p><p>I'm no liar. "She said she is allergic to pines and redwoods, but I know she isn't. Lila had a tendency to spread misinformation to get out of work yet still remain the center of attention. She's been making my life hell since day one. I called her out on her mistruths and she decided to do her damned best to ruin my life in retaliation. I didn't want her here, so I let her paint herself into a corner. On the downside, she and her loyal lap dog have made everyone else feel guilty about taking this trip and thus won't talk to me."</p><p>There were a series of groans among the table. A boy with shaggy chestnut hair sneered at the table. "Seriously? They're giving you the cold shoulder because some lying bitch lied about an allergy that prevented her from tagging along?”</p><p>The redhead stuck out her hand. “I’m Rosemary Dawson and I would be super stoked to be your friend.”</p><p>I took her proffered friendship. “Rosemary?”</p><p>She rolled her big, pretty eyes. “Call me Mary. My mother is like a superfan of the movie Titanic and named me Rosemary to honor the main character.”</p><p>My brow furrowed in thought. “Wasn’t she just Rose?”</p><p>Mary shrugged her dainty shoulders. “Rosemary gives me some agency. She calls me Rose all the time even though I totally hate it.”</p><p>“Allegra Sinclair, class president of this mangy lot.” The blonde girl glowed with an inner light of happiness and joy. </p><p>“Claude Duboi. Your classmates are morons. Oh, and I’m her most honorable deputy.” The shaggy haired boy leaned over the table to press a kiss to my hand and was promptly smacked by Allegra. </p><p>Mary placed a gentle hand over mine. They were tiny and pale like the rest of her. “We were all planning on watching a movie in the theatre. Why don’t you come with us? It would be far more fun than being hunched over your laptop all alone.”</p><p>The prospect of being social again was too tempting. Besides, they all seemed nice enough. “Sounds like fun, so long as it’s not a scary movie. I’m a total wuss.”</p><p>Claude shivered in sympathy. “I feel you. Mary on the other hand.”</p><p>The tiny redhead smiled most sinisterly. “You know it.”</p><p>Jon laughed in elation, his bright blue eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well I suggested Titanic, but Mary threatened to disembowel me. We agreed on a certain pirate movie starring the best pirate ever.”</p><p>“Sounds like fun.” I shut my laptop and dug into my chilling food while the others debated over whether or not the famed Captain would have been a good politician in another life.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A day on the lake and the kickoff to a not so relaxing trip. :3</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am settling into my job at the barn and struggling with school. Updates are going to be so slow. Bear with me. :3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I opened the door simply to stop the persistent knocking holding a pair of fabric shears up as a weapon. Claude and Mary stood on the other side, Allegra behind them looking as if she would rather be back in bed. Claude put his hands up in surrender. “Parley?”</p><p>“Damn to the depths whoever invented Parley.” I set the shears aside and allowed them entrance to my room. Claude and Mary took the opportunity to gawk at the decorations. Allegra planted her face on the overstuffed sofa. </p><p>Claude whistled in appreciation. "Nice set up."</p><p>I blushed as I was reminded of another thing that divided me from my classmates. "Sorry about this. I asked Regina if I could switch rooms to be closer to…”</p><p>"Don't you dare apologize!" Allegra lifted her head up far enough to be heard. "You earned this space doing something most kids our age can only dream of doing. This room is your reward for your hard work. Fuck anyone who says otherwise."</p><p>Mary skipped to my side and clung to my arm. "Besides, this would be the perfect room for hosting a sleepover!"</p><p>Claude clapped his hands and whooped loudly in excitement. "Alright! Girl's night!"</p><p>Mary rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. Claude is asexual. We never have to worry about our maidenhood when he's around."</p><p>Allegra giggled into the cushion then lifted her head again, a nostalgic grin on her face. "Remember when Ralph swore up and down that Claude wasn't asexual? He forced him to watch a few porn clips?"</p><p>Mary’s round, pale face brightened and she snickered into her hand. "Who doesn't remember that? He was just commentating on the set and how the producers obviously skimped on the sound department."</p><p>Allegra cackled and sat up. "Oh my God, and then he saw a dog in the background and he got all excited until the camera panned away!"</p><p>Mary grinned. "He kept demanding he rewind the clip so he could see the dog again."</p><p>Claude turned on his heel. "Hey! It was a shiba! Those are like the cutest dogs ever!" </p><p>“Anyway! Reason we’re here,” Allegra smiled with true happiness. “Damian booked a few boats for us to take out on the lake for some tubing. We wanted to know if you wanted to come with us and show off that perfect bod.”</p><p>My face flamed to red. “Uh. I. Erm. What?”</p><p>Claude sniggered and threw his arm over my shoulders. “Come on, it’ll be super fun! The wind in your hair, the spray of lake water on your face, watching people go flying off the tube when they lose their grip.”</p><p>“Shut up, Claude. So whad'ya say? Feel like some fun in the sun?” Mary was tugging on my arm and bouncing on the balls of her feet. Now that I was really looking, it appeared that the three were decked out on beach attire. Mary with a loose purple knit dress that did nothing to conceal the cobalt two piece she wore underneath. Allegra wore a daring wine red one piece that consisted of a lot of strings and lacey cream sarong wrap encasing her lower half. Claude was just decked out in a faded blue shirt and some ugly hawaiian print swim trunks. </p><p>I thought to my class who still had yet to talk to me though I had come across Kim and Max in the halls on the way to my room. They had been talking about going swimming in the lake. They saw me, lowered their heads, and didn’t extend an invitation. They hadn’t even bothered with a greeting. I had gone to bed frustrated that Lila was still ruining my trip despite being a whole ocean apart. My plans for the day had consisted of sketching in my room while wallowing in self pity. Going tubing with a friendly group seemed like a far superior way to waste the day away. “Of course I want to go. Just let me get changed.”</p><p>Claude and Mary cheered as Allegra lounged on the sofa. I made for my room and the drawer. I picked a one piece pink black polka dotted halter neck piece with a keyhole and a black mesh skirt falling from the cinched underbust. The bright cups made my breasts look bigger and the black waist further slimmed my torso. The sheer and breezy skirt was a saucy addition meant to tease and draw the eye to the top of my thighs where the skirt skimmed the pale skin. I had three two pieces, but the bottoms would fly off and show my backside to the world knowing my luck. The one piece is a safe bet. The two pieces would be better served for sunbathing and swimming. </p><p>We traveled down together, my modesty somewhat protected by a cream georgette calf length cardigan with tight sleeves that came down to my knuckles. Turning a corner and laughing at stupid joke Claude had said, I was nearly knocked off my feet by a warm wall. Said wall reached out and caught me. Opening my eyes revealed the towering figure of one of the photographers Regina had hired. She was an astonishing 6’1 and would not have looked out of place at a catwalk. Yet for someone who was so tall, blonde, and beautiful, she carried herself like she just couldn’t be bothered with the world or anyone in it. </p><p>Her grey, flat eyes stared down at me. “My bad. I didn’t see you there.”</p><p>Must be nice being so tall. “No worries. I wasn’t paying attention.”</p><p>She nodded and looked between the three of us. “I assume you all are going to the lake. I’ll be out there taking photos. Try not to pay me any mind."</p><p>"Sure. Um…." Her perfectly plucked eyebrows were furrowed and the beginnings of dark eye bags shaded her skin. "Are you alright?"</p><p>The photographer's eyes flickered about. "I am looking for my boss."</p><p>Mr. Beckett's name was mentioned in the class packet. He was growing more and more popular in the States for his small but talented team of three and his own editing skills. "Oh. Well, he is a grown man. I'm sure he can take care of himself."</p><p>She blinked. "His childlike temperament says otherwise."</p><p>"DD!" A slightly shorter man with wild auburn hair that looked as if he had stuck his head out of a race car going full speed raced over. His sapphire blue eyes were bright and his overall persona harried. "I've been looking for you. Where have you been? Nevermind. There is so much to do and only so many hours in the day! Why are we still standing here? We have to get the equipment down to the lake. We need scenic photos, landscapes, aerial shots. Then the candids! Holy fuck, the candids!"</p><p>DD didn't even twitch. "Have you been drinking coffee again?"</p><p>"It's the only thing keeping me upright, DD. Stop judging me! You children! Away with you! DD and I must plan! Mr. Beckett dragged his completely deadpan employee down the hall. </p><p>Mary sniffed nonchalantly. "Does he remind you of anyone, Allegra?"</p><p>"Now see! That project was worth 50% is our grade and I wanted to get it done and out of the way, so stick it." Allegra grumbled and pulled her broad rimmed sun hat down to hide her face. Mary and Claude laughed in good humor and herded the both of us to the lake. Three white cruisers floated peacefully atop the waves while the chatty Gotham class boarded. They all waved excitedly when they saw us approach. Jon beamed that sunshine smile is his. "Hey! You guys got her to come!"</p><p>"Actually, all we had to do was ask! Allegra didn't even have to do a strip tease." Claude was punched in his midsection while the girls dragged my red faced self onto the far right boat. Jon joined a stone faced Damian and coughing Claude into the middle boat. Once all the students were boarded, we took off. </p><p>Tubing was so much fun with the lively group. The thrill of skipping over the waves on a flimsy tube was such a rush. I fell off only four times out of the nine that I went, but it was all in good fun. Claude fell off every time with a joyful shriek so I could feel a little better about myself. During my final pass I noticed my class splashing about in the shallows. I had fallen off in surprise and was overcome with embarrassment when I seemed to get their attention. I didn't spare a glance as the boat returned to pick me up. </p><p>We were all hungry as the boats docked. The boys were still wound up from the hours spent on the lake and were playfully shoving each other and giggling like school girls. One got a little too exuberant and knocked his buddy into Mary who lost her grip on her pendant that she was fixing around her neck. "No! You assholes! That's a family heirloom!"</p><p>"Well why were you wearing it out on the water?"</p><p>I shook my head in amusement and grabbed a pair of goggles. "I'll find out, Mary."</p><p>The girl switched from spitting mad to sweetly soft-spoken so fast it almost gave be whiplash. "No no, Marinette. You don't have to do that. If these cretins hadn't been goofing off…"</p><p>"It's fine, Mary. Knowing boys like then, they'd probably drown themselves looking for it." I situated the goggles into my face and jumped into the water. </p><p>There was a chorus of offended males squawking in denial that followed me under the surface. Their voices were muffled and indistinct from one another, but I did pick up a higher pitch that could have been Mary scolding them. Rolling my eyes over just how similar boys were no matter the country of origin, I swam deeper. Tikki appeared before my face with a determined smile. It took her almost no time to find the lost necklace. I breached the surface only to take a gulp of air and followed her down. </p><p>The necklace, four diamonds shaped into a star with four smaller pink stones were arranged in the corners of the prongs, sat on the lake bed among the dirt and sparkled in the low light. It really was a pretty piece and I don’t have a clue as to why Mary would wear something so precious as a heirloom like that on a lake. I’d be afraid to wear something like this out in public lest it be stolen. Lila certainly seemed the type to swipe someone’s property if it caught her eye. Good thing she wasn’t here.</p><p>My lungs were starting to feel the burn. I picked up the dainty pendant with the intent to resurface. As I was pushing up, Tikki appeared in front of my face with a look of horrified dread on her tiny face. She pointed to my right and dashed through the water in the direction. I followed after in the murky water.</p><p>I released a torrent of bubbles as I screamed at the sight of a body, pale and lifeless, held under by a rope and a cinder block.</p><p>It’s not like it was my first body, and not the first drowned one. Syren flooded the city with her tears and had taken the lives of a large portion of the Parisian population whether she meant to or not. But I faced those bodies as Ladybug, not Marinette. I had faced those bodies prepared for the possibility of casualties. I was on vacation, in the States, a whole ocean away from my home and the villain that lived there. I was not prepared to find a corpse after having spent a wonderful morning tubing with new friends.</p><p>I was swimming so fast I didn’t even bother to investigate the body. I surfaced not knowing a single feature of the corpse aside from the fact that it was far too pale. </p><p>Bursting from the water with a breathless shriek drew the attention of those that had lingered. Mary, Damian, and Jon shared the same wide-eyed concern. “Hey, Mari. Did you find it?”</p><p>I couldn’t speak, but  I did notice that the necklace was clenched tight in my hands. At least there’s that.</p><p>“Marinette, are you okay?” Jon had begun to sink into a crouch. From their body language, it seemed that they picked up on my silent panic. </p><p>Damian’s eyes were the ones to connect with mine. In those green depths I thought I saw compassion and understanding, alarm and empathy. In this span of a spare few seconds, I had felt more grounded than I had in a long time, more steady, and less like it was me against the world and all it could throw at me. Just a look and I felt like everything was going to be okay. </p><p>A deep breath to center myself, and I settled my mind. I am Ladybug, a hero. Heroes don’t panic over dead bodies. “I think you should call the police.”</p><p>Jon and Mary both pulled back in dismay. Damian snatched a pair of goggles and jumped in after me. He gave me a guarded glance through the clear plastic and sank under the water. He sprang back up a minute later with the bearing of a man in charge. “Mary, call the police and tell them there is a body in the lake. Jon, you go and inform the lifeguard on duty. Marinette, you and I will stay here and keep people from disturbing the crime scene.”</p><p>Mary was already on the phone. Jon took off before Damian even finished speaking. Damian and I floated there in the water in silence. </p><p>“I know you must be in shock right now. I…”</p><p>I cut him off. “I’m not in shock. It’s not the first body I’ve seen. It just startled me really.”</p><p>His brow furrowed as he looked at me with disquiet. “You’ve seen a drowned corpse before? In what situation would you come across a drowned corpse more than once in your life?”</p><p>“A butterfly themed villain obsessed with jewelry and an emotionally compromised teenager suffering heartbreak. That’s pretty much the gist of it.” I felt uneasy swimming within the vicinity of a corpse. I had been having fun on the lake. Knowing that there had been someone’s decaying remains in the same water that I had been enjoying soured the memories of the last few hours. “I don’t think I’ll ever go tubing again.”</p><p>Damian’s voice was low and even. “I want to hear more about this villain of yours.”</p><p>Not even a minute later, a lifeguard came running up to the dock carrying a buoy with a most horrified expression on his face and Jon in tow. He tried to bade us to leave, but I was determined to see this through. Damian stayed with me as Mary and Jon left for the resort trailing after my class that looked very put out at having their day at the lake ended so abruptly. Boy, were they in for a surprise. </p><p>Fifteen minutes later and the cops finally showed up. The partners questioned both of us as another team of two put on scuba gear and rolled into the water. We answered their questions as more cars rolled up. An entire team of government officials began blocking off the area. The scuba divers resurfaced with the body in tow. I shivered at the sight. It was a female. Young too by the looks of it.</p><p>I felt an arm wrap around my waist. “I think she needs a break. We’ll be inside if you need us, officers.”</p><p>The tall, olive skinned officer, Crawford, bowed his head. “Of course, of course. I’m sure this must be very traumatizing for the young lady. Take a chance to collect yourself. We’ll find you later.” His smaller, curvier partner, McGale, flipped her notebook shut without emotion and joined the scuba divers who had dragged the carcass onto land.</p><p>I don’t remember being led inside or sat down in the expansive dining hall where everyone else had been gathered. Neither do I remember accepting a glass of tea. My mind was too busy whirling with questions to focus on the present and the implications of them. Was there a murderer here at the resort? If so, was this a one time kill or would they strike again? And if they did, who would be the next person to drop?</p><p>“Marinette?” I snapped back into the here and now. Kim was standing in front of me flanked by Max and Alix who all wore similar expressions of worry. “What’s going on? I thought I overheard something about a body.”</p><p>“Could you be any more insensitive, you muscle minded buffoon? Damian quipped in perfect French. </p><p>Kim’s cheeks flushed under Damian’s intense glare. I could already see him swelling up to retort, either verbally or physically. Alix pulled him back and took over before it devolved into a fight. “Please. We just want to know what happened?”</p><p>Damian slowly rose to his feet. His aura of simmering rage made him feel much bigger than he actually was. Alix took a step back. “Can you see that she needs a minute to herself? I know you all don’t care about her wellbeing, but…”</p><p>“That’s not true!” Max poked his head out from behind Kim. “Marinette is our friend!”</p><p>The boy defending me snorted. “You claim to be friends yet none of you have spent any time with her since you checked into the hotel.”</p><p>All three blanched and turned their eyes away. Kim bit his lip. “Look… I…. it’s our second day here. We weren’t going to ignore her forever.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t have ignored her at all.” Mary rushed to stand in front of me, her arms crossed. “You’ve got some nerve having fun and enjoying your stay without even thanking the person who gave you such a chance. If I were in your shoes, I'd be on my knees worshipping Marinette for all she did.”</p><p>My face burned and my voice cracked and stuttered. "I-I would hardly…. I mean… it's nothing to worship me over."</p><p>I was ignored. Kim, Alix, and Max blushed with similar looks of angered humiliation. "Of course we're grateful, but we're… punishing her for setting up a trip where one of our friends couldn't go because of her… allergies." Kim's voice trailed off under the combination of Mary and Damian's harsh glares. </p><p>Damian's smirk was dark and sadistic. "My my, I didn't know Marinette was so talented and clever to be able to pull off such a feat all to have one person excluded from the class trip. I am genuinely impressed, so much so that I'd say Marinette deserves to revel in her victory. I mean to assure that Madam Duke chose this spot to build her resort four years ago, that she got hired, and was certain that the widow would be generous enough to allow her classmates to stay at the hotel for their graduation party… all so that one person wouldn't be able to go. An elaborate plan that surely puts all of the Riddler’s to shame with all the ways it could have gone wrong yet didn’t. I’d bet my Audi that Batman would be impressed."</p><p>With each word he spoke, my classmates seemed to grow smaller. They're heads were level with their slumped shoulders by the time he finished. Then Mary jumped in and added her two cents. "</p><p>Honestly, I had you all pegged as parasites from the second I saw you." Mary's usually sweet and playful tone was colder than ice and laced with venom. "Greedy little rats that latched onto the coattails of their more successful classmate and drained them of everything you could until someone better came along, all while pretending to be her friend. People like you make me ill."</p><p>Alix bristled, yet her eyes held the distinctive sheen of unshed tears. “It’s not… We are her friends! If she would just stop making Lila out to be her enemy…!”</p><p>Mary snorted, throwing her arm around me. “Oh honey. Marinette doesn’t need to make enemies. She has friends like you.”</p><p>I was led away by Damian and Mary to the table full of Gothamites without a backwards glance at my class. Something Mary had said resonated. I turned my head to whisper so that no one else would hear. “You really think they were using me?”</p><p>Damian tched his aggravation. “Of course they were using you. What, you didn’t notice?”</p><p>Mary flicked his ear then patted my shoulder. “I know their kind, sweetpea. Those expected the world of you but got all fussy if you expected the same, am I right? For all the things you did for them, did they ever pay you for it? Or return the favor?”</p><p>Now that I thought about, no. They didn’t. Not for the banners, or the snacks, or the clothes, or those last minute babysitting requests from Alya and Nino so that they could go on a date. I did all of those things without question because they were my friends. But wouldn’t friends stay by side, defend me from accusations about my character, trust that I had their best interests at heart? Wouldn’t a friend listen to my warnings about Lila and look into her claims, even if to just prove me wrong?</p><p>The room went quiet when what seemed to be the policeman in charge took the small stage. I peeked over at Damian only to catch him doing the same to me. </p><p>The officer, who looked like a perfect picture of a military veteran, gazed over the crowd with sharp gray eyes set in his weathered tanned skin. When he spoke I heard thunder in his rough voice. “There is a murderer in this room, and I intend to find them.”</p><p>“Wow. Way to set the mood.” Mary stage whispered to me.</p><p>Tell me about it, I thought to myself. There goes my relaxing vacation.</p>
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